Reservations are optional - if you travel outside peak hours - after 9 AM - there are often plenty of seat available

7 PM Rule

If you board a direct night train that departs after 19:00h / 7 PM only the day of arrival needs to be enteredon your pass. Not valid on the evening before the first travel day.

Last minute

For last-minute travel plans the rail pass is often cheaper than single-journey tickets for short- and long-distance trains. Only supersaver fares are often cheaper but these need to booked well in advance and are non-refundable.

Hiking and cycling

BritRail is a perfect way to travel for all hikers and cyclist. Take the train to station A, then walk or cycle to station B and continue your journey by train. No need to plan or reserve ahead.

Bicycle on the trains

Bicycles are often transported free of charge on trains. Reserve a bike space in advance - only possible at the station or through the call centre of the rail operator.

Seat Reservations

Is it possible to book seat reservations in the UK?On most trains seat reservations are possible, but not on all. Most local trains - often only with second class carriages - do not offer the possibility to make reservations.

Are seat reservations required?No - on all trains in the UK you can just hop on board and find a free seat.

Are seat reservation included if I book online?If you book first class tickets online and reservations are possible for your journey, a seat reservation is automatically included. For second class tickets this is not the case.

If you have a BritRail Pass, first or second class, you need to make reservations at the ticket office. This is not required - you can take any train and just find a free seat, seat reservations are optional in the end.

Is it necessary to book seat reservation in the UK?General speaking: no - if you travel outside peak hours, after 09h30 AM, it’s almost always possible to find a free seat, in most cases many seats are free and it’s very easy to pick one.But if you travel during peak hours or on busier routes like Manchester to York or London to Oxford, it’s recommended to book a seat in advance.

Is it possible to book seats online? No, it’s not possible to book seats online. You can only make reservations at the ticket office at stations or through the contact centre of the rail operator (keep in mind that there are 30 operators in the UK, check your ticket to see which operator serves your route)

The pre-booking period for seat reservations depends per rail operator: it’s at least 2 hours in advance, but most of the time it’s 1 day before departure. This means you can’t book reservations just before the train departs.

What are the costs of seat reservations in the UK?The reservations are free and nameless, which sounds good, but in reality this means there is a lot of “abuse” and many reserved seats are not taken.